Facebook Finally Gets Serious About Music [Watch Out Musical.ly]

Facebook has announced the first set of features that build on the recent licensing deals it has made with all three major label groups, Merlin and other rights holders. Most notable is a live lip sync feature that borrows liberally from the popular Musical.ly app.

Facebook users can now add music to their videos with little fear that they will be taken down. "We’re testing this in several markets now and look forward to making it available more broadly soon." Facebook announced yesterday.

Lip Sync Live

Facebook also launched a lip sync feature that is a direct competitor to the popular Musical.ly app. Users can now choose the Lip Sync Live option when starting a  Live video. After selecting a song from the song list, users can also add a description and customize the video with masks or a background.

When broadcasting with Lip Sync Live, friends will see the artist and song highlighted on the video and can tap to follow the artist on Facebook.

More Coming Soon

Facebook says this is just the start of bringing music onto the social platform. In the coming months, they will start testing options for adding music to Facebook Stories. "We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the music industry to create new ways for people to connect and express themselves through music across our family of apps," Facebook said in a statement.